


three words.

by daydreamer2100



Series: Ezio and Sofia. [2]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: After Masyaf, F/M, Fluff, these two need more fics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-10 00:21:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15279468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daydreamer2100/pseuds/daydreamer2100
Summary: Ezio has decided to retire, but after leaving Masyaf he realizes it may not be so easy. Sofia has decided to take a chance with Ezio, but she will have to deal with her own ghosts in order to mover forward.Or, a fic about Ezio and Sofia after they left the library.





	1. Chapter 1

The wait was about to kill Sofia, her heartbeat echoing through the abandoned halls of the ancient castle. Ezio had gone down a long time ago, and there had been no sign of him since. Sofia stared at the underground tunnel, trying to make out anything through the darkness. She considered going down, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Ezio had told her to stay still, and if she had learned something since they met, Ezio usually told her to stay to keep her safe. 

She tried to pass the time by examining the building. The bare rock walls were as imposing as dusty, raising high above her head. Sofia wandered back to the main stairs, trying to imagine how the place looked like when it was still inhabited by hooded men. It must have been a wonder to behold. She climbed up the big stone steps, her eyes glued to the tall ceiling. Some parts of the stairs had cracks and missing pieces, time’s toll on them. 

Once she reached the top, she found an empty room. Marks on the floor showed that there had once been furniture inside, as did yellowed banners hanging from the walls, close to turning to dust. The light from the windows was faint and soft, shining on a small platform in front of the window. Sofia walked up the two steps and towards the window. The glass as broken and covered in dust. She ran her hand over the smooth surface, leaving a track on the glass. 

“Doing some exploring?” A voice asked from behind.

Sofia jumped, turning around. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw Ezio standing in front of the stairs. “Oh, Ezio…” She said, placing one hand over her chest. “You scared me.”

“ _Mi dispiace_ , Sofia.” He apologized, bowing slightly. 

He looked different somehow. Some of his weapons were missing, but it wasn’t that. It was something in his face. His wrinkles were less prominent, the grey in his hair not as noticeable. He looked younger, and somehow lighter. 

“How did it go?” She asked, wiping the dust on her skirt. “Found what you were looking for?”

“I found what I had to.” Ezio answered, chuckling. “Now it’s over, it’s finally over.” 

The relief in his words was almost palpable, filling him with a new found vigor. He smiled at her, a careless and relaxed smile. 

She smiled back. “Good.” She nodded, walking up to him and taking his hands in hers. 

Ezio pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes. Sofia watched his content expression for a moment before closing her eyes and burying herself into his chest. Ezio wrapped his arms around her tightly, resting his head on top of hers. “Time to go home then?” She asked in a whisper.

“Si.” He replied, kissing the crown of her head. “Time to go home.”


	2. Chapter 2

 

“So you just dropped her in the hay?” Sofia asked, chuckling.

The ship rocked from one side to the other, like the soothing movements of a baby’s crib. Ezio and Sofia laid in a small wooden bed, Sofia resting on Ezio’s chest as he held her.

“Si.” He admitted, smiling. “If we hadn’t been where we were, I think she would’ve killed me.”

“Well, that Caterina sounds like quite a woman.” Sofia sighed, fixing her position on his chest.

“Oh, she was.” Ezio nodded, shuffling his grip on her waist. 

“You certainly seem to have many interesting friends.” Sofia laughed, looking up at him. “But who is the most…  _ unique _ ?”

“Definitely Leonardo.” Ezio chuckled, his eyes twinkling when he looked at her. “I have met no other man like him in my life.”

“What Leonardo? Leonardo Da Vinci?” Sofia joked, rolling her eyes. 

“The one and only.” Ezio replied, smiling cheekily.

Sofia jumped out of his grip, kneeling in front of him on the mattress. “ _ Sei serio? _ ” She asked, a stunned look in her face. “You know Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the greatest masters of Italy… him? The genius? Really? No… you are playing with me.” She rambled, shaking her head and smiling.

Ezio leaned forward on his knees. “I’m not joking, I’ve known him since I was a boy.” Ezio insisted. “I wouldn’t have made it out of Firenze without him I think, he was the one who gave me my hidden blade.”

“When your father and brothers were hanged?” Sofia asked.

Ezio’s smiles wavered, his expression crumbling. “Si.” He nodded, looking down.

Sofia’s smile disappeared too. Ezio looked at the wall, and for a moment they only heard the wood creaking as the ship stirred. Sofia sighed, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around Ezio’s neck, holding him tight. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“It’s alright.” He reassured her, pulling back to look at her. “My family died… it happened, it wasn’t your fault.”

Sofia pursed her lips, looking down at the mattress. “It shouldn’t have happened… ” She muttered. “They didn’t deserve it… you didn’t deserve it, any of it.” She cupped Ezio’s cheek.

Ezio leaned into her hand, closing his eyes. “No, they didn’t deserve it…” he agreed. “But it’s all over now.” 

She took his hand, looking down as her cheeks began to heat up. “It will be alright now, you can let go of all that, leave the pain there in the past. You can start over, and I promise it will be okay… I’ll try to make it okay… for the both of us.”

He didn’t say anything, just stared at her with wide eyes. Sofia’s heart hammered inside her chest, her face burning. Ezio grabbed her chin and pulled her up to face him, smiling tenderly. 

She smiled too as he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.


	3. Chapter 3

The day was clear, the blue sky stretching over the dark ocean. Sofia and Ezio stood side by side, watching the sea from the railing. She looked down at the helm of the boat, watching it cut through the water. “You know, when I was little I always liked watching the boat soar over the water.” Sofia said. “I don’t know why, but I could spend hours just watching and wondering what it was that allowed the boat to stay afloat.”

Ezio didn’t answer, his gaze lost in the distance. Sofia looked at him, studying his troubled expression. Ever since leaving Masyaf he had been acting strange, been distant. It got worse after their conversation in the room. She feared she may have gone too fast for him. After all, he was an old, unmarried, man. Perhaps he wasn’t comfortable with the idea of settling down. The thought bothered her, so she pushed it away.

She placed her hand over his, pulling him back. Ezio jolted up, looking down at her in surprise. He studied her worried expression for a moment. “Mi dispiace, did you say something?” He asked. 

Sofia sighed. “No, I didn’t.” She lied, holding his hand in hers. “Are you alright? You seem agitated.”

Ezio squeezed her hand. “I’m alright, just… thinking.” He said, hesitating. He looked at her and sighed, pulling it up to his mouth and kissing it before letting go. He leaned back on the rail, looking down at the water with a darkened expression. His head sank down, the distant gaze returning. 

“Ezio…” Sofia insisted, resting her hands on the rail next to him. “Talk to me.”

His head sunk lower. “I don’t want to burden you.” He replied, forcing a smile. “I just… need some time to think.”

Sofia nodded, feeling a knot forming in her throat. “ _ Bene _ .” She said. “I’ll leave you with your thoughts then.”

She turned to leave when he reached out and grabbed her hand. Sofia looked up at him, their eyes meeting. Ezio swallowed back, his hazel eyes glued to hers. “Sofia, I…” He began, his voice shaking slightly. 

“Yes?” Sofia asked, her heart racing.

“I really enjoy your company…” He muttered after a long silence. “Don’t think that I don’t want to be with you.” His grip tightened on her when he said those words, a note of frustration behind them.

“I enjoy your company too.” She reassured him, smiling. “And I understand, we all need time to think.”

He smiled, but it wasn’t honest. He was holding something back, she could tell. It made her anxious, but she wouldn’t push. 

Ezio kissed her forehead, his lips lingering for a while. Sofia closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the kiss until he pulled away. Afterwards, he turned back towards the sea and she walked away.


	4. Chapter 4

Sofia sat in their room, book in hand. It was a very old one, given to her by her father for her ninth birthday. It was probably the book which made her take interest in literature. She never went anywhere without it. It wasn’t any great work of fiction, just a collection of stories for children. She especially liked the one about the girl who got married to a horrible ogre but was saved by a knight. She used to dream about meeting a prince and marrying him like the girls in her book. She thought she had found her prince when she was sixteen, turns out he was an ogre. 

The sound of the door snapped her back. Sofia looked up and saw Ezio standing there, looking at her. For a moment, no one spoke. 

“What are you reading?” He asked, breaking the silence.

She looked down at the faded leather cover. “Oh… just a children’s book.” She answered, putting it away on the table next to her. 

Ezio nodded. He stood awkwardly on the doorway, staring at her. 

“Is everything alright?” She asked again, feeling her cheeks heat up from his stare.

He shook his head. “ _ Si _ , I’m just tired.” he excused himself, rubbing his eyes. “Travelling is tiring.”

Sofia stood up. “It is.” She nodded, walking to the bed. “But you have to admit there’s a certain charm in seeing new things, and travelling is the best way to do that.”

Ezio smiled, sitting down on the mattress. “You’re right.” He nodded. Sofia tried to walk past him when he grabbed her arm and pulled her down on the bed, pinning her underneath his body. “If I hadn’t traveled, we wouldn’t have met.” 

Sofia blushed, laughing. “Ezio, you sap.” She joked, caressing his beard.

He chuckled before leaning down and kissing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Sofia couldn’t help but smile as a familiar warmth took over her chest with every kiss. Ezio rested on his elbows, tangling his hands in her hair. 

The moment went on for a while longer, the sound of the kiss resonating through the empty room. 

Until suddenly, he stopped.

She kissed his lips again, but it was no use. 

Sofia watched him, studying his expressionless face. “Ezio, what is it?” She asked.

Ezio stared at her, keeping her underneath him. He started to caress her cheek, his eyes glued to hers. Sofia didn’t know what to say, her words stuck in her throat. She reached up instead, taking his face in her hands. Ezio welcomed her touch, closing his eyes and leaning on it. He leaned down and presses a chaste kiss to her lips.

He pulled her back into his arms, pulling her farther into the mattress. He fixed them both on the bed to lie side by side on the pillows. She didn’t really understand, but allowed him to hold her. Ezio carefully removed the net from her hair. She stayed still as he set it aside on the nightstand and tenderly let her hair loose. He ran his fingers through her freed locks, combing them out of her face. Sofia stared at him, her heart racing. She didn’t understand what he wanted from her, or why he was acting like he is. 

However, she was okay with letting him touch her hair. 

She closed her eyes, focusing on his touch until she drifted to sleep. 


	5. Chapter 5

Sofia didn’t know how long she slept. When she opened her eyes, Ezio was asleep next to her, his motionless hand still in her hair. She could hear music coming from outside, loud enough to wake her. She sat up, breathing deeply. Ezio stirred awake, rolling around to look at the door. “What is that all about?” He asked.

“Why don’t we find out?” She proposed, standing up. She fixed her hair quickly before smoothing her skirt.

Ezio watched her quietly, lying face up in the bed. He smiled as she looked into a small mirror propped up on the desk to fix her hair. He studied the careful movement of her fingers as she fixed the net over her bun, a warm tenderness on his chest.

She sighed, stepping away from the mirror. “I’m all set.” She declared, turning around. Ezio was still on the bed, looking at her. She sat down next to him and pushed some stray hairs out of his face. “If you’re too tired you can sleep, I just want to see what’s going on.”

He sat up. “No, it’s alright.” He said, stretching. “I’d like a walk. I’ve spent too much time in here, and I’m not the type to be still.”

“You think I haven’t noticed that already?” She laughed.

Ezio chuckled, offering her his arm. “Ready to go _,_ my lady?” He asked.

“Lead the way, _messere_.” She replied, wrapping her arm around his.

The music came from a small band playing on deck. Nothing grand, just some performers who decided to put a show for the other passengers. The people danced around the deck, laughing and chatting excitedly. Sofia watched them twirl around with a smile, cheering as one couple took the center of the dancefloor.

They clapped once the dance ended and the dancers bowed.

Ezio looked at Sofia as the group prepared for the next piece. “Do you know how to dance, Sofia?” He asked, smiling slyly.

“I just may know how.” She replied, winking.

Ezio laughed, offering her his hand. “Let’s dance then.”

He hadn’t dance in some time, and stumbled over some of the first steps of the ‘Amoroso’, but he got the hang of it soon enough. Sofia, in the other hand, proved to be a seasoned dancer from the first step. She moved gracefully along with the music, jumping and pacing when she had to. She laughed as she circled around Ezio, prancing back to her place and waiting for him to do the same.

Once the music and cheers ended, they bowed and walked back to the side of the deck.

Sofia chuckled. “Not bad for an old man.” She joked, breathing deeply.

“I had no idea you were such a great dancer.” Ezio replied.

“It was the one thing that didn’t bore me in my father’s parties.” She explained.

“Not one for parties?” Ezio asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No, I enjoy parties, is the smalltalk that really bothers me.” She replied, leaning on the railing of the boat. “Most girls had nothing to talk about aside from boys and marriage.”

“And why not talk to the boys then?” He asked.

“ _Mio Dio!_ Noble boys have only women and wine to think about.” She laughed, shaking her hand dismissively.

“I was one of those boys…” Ezio replied, frowning playfully. “Once.”

“And tell me, what did you think about in that time, _messere_?” She asked, smiling cheekily.

Ezio chuckled, looking down. “Alright, you got me.” He sighed. “But you forgot to add the fighting.”

Sofia rolled her eyes, laughing. “Oh yes, the fighting! My brother once spent an entire week confined to bed for some stupid fight. I hope you weren’t so rash.”

Ezio ran his thumb over the scar on his upper lip, hiding a smile.

Sofia looked at him, shaking her head to hide her smile. “Of course you were!” She exclaimed, nudging him slightly.

He let out a loud chuckle. “How do you think I got the scar above my lip?” Ezio asked. “Some bastardo threw a rock at me during a street brawl.”

Sofia took a deep breath, holding in laughter. “And why were you fighting?”

Ezio shrugged. “I may, or may have not gotten… _close_ with their sister.” He confessed.

“Ezio!” She gasped, putting her hand on her chest playfully. “How could you?!”

“I must admit that some wine may have been involved.” He smiled, looking at the sea.

Sofia laughed, looking down at the water. “I couldn’t stand boys like that.” She said in a more serious tone. “Reason why I think I’ve always been attracted to older men.”

Ezio chuckled. “Then it’s a good thing we met until now.” He joked.

“Maybe.” Sofia nodded, smiling at him.

They stayed quiet, looking at each other. Sofia leaned on his shoulder, looking out at the sea. Ezio went stiff for a moment before tentatively wrapping one arm around her waist. She looked up at him and was discouraged to find the same vacant expression from earlier. She sighed deeply, nudging him slightly. It just earned her a _‘hmm’_ from him.

“Ezio, I’m worried.” She let out. “Is something wrong? You’ve really been acting strange, and I know you say it’s nothing, but I still think it’s weird.”

She knew he heard her from the change in his expression, but he just looked down at the water below. He sighed deeply. “It’s nothing.” He insisted. “Really, don’t… worry about it.”

Sofia moved away from him. That finally got his attention. She stood there with her arms wrapped over her chest. “Ezio, look me in the eye and say that again.” She said.

Ezio looked at her in the eye and opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. He sighed deeply, leaning on the rail again.

She nodded. “Alright then.” She muttered, turning away from him.

They stayed quiet for a while. Ezio’s eyes were fixed on the water while Sofia’s focused on the floor. None of them looked at the other, the meter between them feeling much bigger.

The tension was cut by a woman who walked up to Ezio. _“Salute!”_ She said. “Would you like a dance, _messer_? You are the only other italian man I see here.”

“Mi dispia-” Ezio began, turning to the woman.

“It’s alright.” Sofia cut him off, smiling at the girl. “Go ahead, have some fun. I’m going to bed.”

She walked away before Ezio could stop her. And he didn’t try. He watched her leave, feeling a horrible sting in his chest that filled him with a mixture of pain and anger. She was being irrational and childish.

The woman watched the interaction in shock. “ _Mi dispiace_ … I didn’t know.” She apologized. “I’ll go.”

“No, it’s alright.” Ezio said in a hard voice, grabbing her wrist. “I do want to dance.”

The woman nodded nervously before being led away by Ezio into the dancefloor. Sofia watched him leave from the other side of the deck, feeling hot tears begin to pool in her eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as the door closed she broke down. She leaned against the door, covering her mouth. She had done something very stupid, he didn’t deserve that outburst. And yet… she allowed the fear to get the best of her. It still had the best of her. She tried to push it back, but it was still there: the fear that he may not really want her. His actions really confused her: one minute he seemed completely smitten, and the next he was cold. She didn’t understand.

The memories only made it worse: The way she had been treated by another young man to be more precise. He had gotten her to fall in love with him, and she gave him all her heart and affection. And for some time, it had been alright. But then he started to become distant, more and more as time went on. And then he left her with nothing but her broken heart and pride. She didn’t want it to happen again.

Between tears and memories she managed to change out of her dress and into her nightgown. She undid her hair with shaky hands, remembering how it felt when Ezio did it earlier: The soft touch of his hand, the careful movement of his finger… She tried not to imagine him with the other woman, it only made her hurt more. Finally, she crawled into bed and pulled out her book.

She read for a while, desperate to focus on something else, and yet the tears still fell and stained the beautifully illustrated pages. Fresh tears to replace the ones that had dried up years before. She had been stupid, putting herself in such position again. Ezio was an old man, if he hadn’t married yet was because he didn’t intend to do so. She had allowed herself to be a toy again, and that was a stab to her pride. But the biggest pain came from the fact that she loved him. She really did love Ezio, there was no use in denying it. But now she had to find a way to stop loving him, and move on as soon as they reached Constantinople.

She was torn out of her thoughts when she heard steps coming towards the door. She quickly put the book in the nightstand and blew out the candle before laying down on her side, pulling up the covers. She laid still with her back to the door as it opened. “Sofia-”

Ezio sighed when he saw her lying still in the bed. He walked inside, closing the door behind him. He walked as quietly as he could, circling around the bed and stopping in front of her. Sofia’s face was red and puffy, a sticky trail of tears still visible on her cheek. He cursed under his breath, sitting on the bed, careful not to wake her up. He wiped her tears with his thumb, feeling the warm and sticky skin.

He’d hurt girls before, he was well aware of that. Over the years he had built quite a reputation for it, the heartbreaker. In truth, he liked the girls he got with, but he didn’t love them. After Cristina, none of them really mattered too much to him. Except for Caterina, but that was different. He had developed a cold shell to the women’s heartbreak, but this one had shattered it. He made Sofia cry and that was like getting a dagger to the gut… and he knew, after all, he’s had daggers in his stomach.

He ran his hand through her hair, pulling some strands away from her face. “You have no idea how much I love you.” He whispered, caressing her face.

Sofia struggled to stay still when he said that, her heart racing in her chest. She kept her eyes closed when Ezio leaned down and kissed her temple before standing back up. He got ready for bed quickly, throwing his armor and boots away before sitting down on the other side of the bed. He hesitated before lying down, staring up at the ceiling.

He was shocked when Sofia rolled around to look at him, her eyes staring at him through the darkness. “So,” Ezio sighed. “Are you going to tell me why you’re upset?”

“It’s silly.” She replied.

Ezio didn’t answer.

Sofia sighed. “I’m sorry, Ezio… I acted like a child.” She apologized. “It’s just that… I don’t understand what’s going on with you. You say you love me, but then you push me away. You’ve been acting very strange since we left Masyaf. Why? What am I to you? Some toy to play with until you are bored? Or-”

“Do you really think I would do that?” He cut her off, raising his voice slightly. “Do you think so little of me?”

Sofia sat up, breathing deeply to keep herself from breaking into tears again. “I’m not sure…” She whispered.

Ezio’s eyes widened, anger filling his chest. “Really?! Why would you-”

“For the same reason I was shaking the first night we were together.” She interrupted him, looking straight into his eyes. “That time in my bookshop.”

The memory was clear to him: The adjacent room, the medicine, the desk, the stairs… If he closed his eyes, Ezio could see Sofia laying underneath him. Her cheeks were flushed, but she was still shaking. Her eyes kept looking up at him nervously, her hand clutching the pillow under her head to keep from shaking. He could remember her fast heartbeat as he pressed his skin to hers, how he could feel her palpitations when he kissed her neck. She had been terrified. He did all he could to calm her down and show her it was alright… that he wouldn’t leave her.

He hadn’t stopped to think about the meaning of those words since.

Sofia took a deep breath, wrapping her hands on her lap. “You had a difficult life, you suffered more than I ever have… but that doesn’t mean I haven’t had bad moments.”

“You know a man left me, but you don’t know what led up to it.” She explained. “Remember what I told you about noble boys? Well, he wasn’t like them. He was smart, and funny, and handsome… I enjoyed talking to him, being with him. I fell in love with him, and he loved me too… or so I thought. At the beginning, when we were courting, it couldn’t have been better: my family adored him, he was thoughtful and loving, we would have long conversations about literature and philosophy… I thought I couldn’t be happier. So I gave him everything I could possibly give… like the fool I was.” Her voice shook violently and she stopped to compose herself. “And then everything changed. As the date for the wedding drew nearer, he became cold and distant. We would still go on our walks, but he wouldn’t really listen. He was always distracted, thinking about something else. I thought he was only nervous, I was too, but then the day came… and he was nowhere to be found.”

“Sofia…” Ezio muttered, sitting up to comfort her. “I didn’t know.”

“It was the single most humiliating thing I’ve had to live through.” She hissed, clenching her fist. “I came back to Constantinople afterwards, bought the bookstore and swore to never let anyone hurt me the way he did… not after it took so much for me to pull myself back together.”

“So I really don’t know if you would do the same…” She took Ezio’s hand, grasping it desperately. “I hope not, but I need you to be honest with me. Please.”

Ezio cupped her face in his hands. “I didn’t mean to hurt you… and I would never do what he did.”  His voice was stern. “I love you.”

Sofia smiled, pulling his hand up to her face.

“And that’s why I’m scared, Sofia.” He confessed, cupping her cheek. “I don’t want you to get hurt, I want you to be safe. And I don’t know if I can give you that safety… even if I do walk away from all this. The Templars will always be after me, they will always try to find new ways to hurt me… I don’t want you to become a piece in their game to destroy me.”

Sofia watched him quietly, the smile gone from her face. She moved closer to him, hooking her hands around his neck. “I’m not scared of them.” She whispered, looking at him.

Ezio swallowed back, holding her face in his hands. “I can’t lose more people I love…” He continued, pressing his forehead to hers. “I lost my father, and Petruchio, and Federico… and my mother, and uncle Mario, and Yusuf, and…” He looked at her before finishing the sentence. “And Cristina.”

“Who was she?” Sofia asked, looking at him. “You can be honest.” She added, sensing his hesitation.

“My first love.” He answered truthfully, dropping his hands to his lap.

Sofia nodded, slightly stunned. “What happened to her?” She asked. “If you don’t mind talking about it, I mean.”

“She was killed many years ago…” Ezio answered. “ attacked by crazy fanatics… and I couldn’t save her, she died in my arms.”

“I’m so sorry, Ezio.”

“After her death I thought I would never find love again.” He sighed. “I met many women, Caterina certainly caught my eye but I never loved her as much as I loved Cristina… I never loved any other the same way I loved her. She was the only one I loved enough to make my wife… but I lost her. So I decided that I would live what remained of my life alone… because I was certain I would never find another woman like her, and it was safer that way…”

Sofia listened in stunned silence, her face completely blank. After he’s done explaining, she looked down at her lap, feeling an odd numbness in her chest.

Ezio placed one hand under her chin and pulled her up to face him. “And then you came along…” he whispered, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. “You stirred emotions inside me that I thought I would never feel again. I found myself smiling every time I thought of you, and feeling equally excited and nervous every time I went to see you, and after I left Constantinople, I found myself longing for you so much it hurt. You, somehow, made me feel like that lovesick boy again…"

Sofia covered his hands with hers, teary eyed. “I felt the same way,” she whispered, smiling, "even if it scared me, I couldn't help it."

Ezio’s face lit up with those words, and he pulled her into a tight embrace. “I love you.” He said, liking the sound of the words on his lips again after so long.

“I love you too.” She replied.

It turned out that, for Ezio, it was even better to hear the words being said to him. He missed it.


	7. Chapter 7

Sofia had spent the entire week reorganizing the bookstore. The templar attack had left a huge mess, and it only got worse while she was gone. She had intended to clean it the first night after it all happened, but she got distracted with Ezio. In fact, he was the main reason she hadn’t done any errands or work before leaving for Masyaf. Not that she was complaining.

She smiled to herself as she organized the books, remembering the last days aboard the ship. Her stomach filled with butterflies just thinking about Ezio now, no more fear there. She loved him, and he loved her. She knew he really did, so she didn’t have to tiptoe around him anymore. 

Her head snapped up when the door opened. “Welcome, I-” Her words died when she saw Ezio standing nervously on the entrance. “Ezio! I thought you weren’t coming today.”

Ezio stayed on the doorway, holding one hand behind his back as she walked up to her. “I was able to clear things up with the others faster than anticipated… besides, I needed to talk to you.”

“About what?” She asked, pulling his hood off and pressing a kiss to his cheek. She preferred it when he didn’t wear the hood, it covered too much of his face. 

“Well…” He began, clearing his throat. “I just wanted to ask if you would… I mean, if you were willing to- No… if you would do me the honor?  _ Mi dispiace _ , I haven’t done this before.”

Sofia watched him with amusement, smiling tenderly as he tripped over his words. “It’s alright.” Her heart began beating rapidly in her chest, but she kept calm. “Though I do wonder what you haven’t done,  _ Messere _ .”

Ezio’s face was red as blood now. He took a deep breath. “I’ll start over.” He said, taking her hand. 

Sofia gasped when he dropped down on one knee and pulled out a white tulip. “Sofia, you are a remarkable woman, and I have come to love and admire you more than I ever thought I could. You fill me with so much happiness I can’t even begin to describe it… and I know I want to spend whatever time I have left with you.” He smiled at her nervously. “Will you marry me?”

Sofia stayed still, completely paralyzed. Ezio stared at her, still on one knee, raising his eyebrows. “Give me a moment, I’m a little overwhelmed…” She stammered, holding her hands over her chest. 

Ezio chuckled nervously. “Is that a yes?” He asked.

She nodded, teary eyed. “Yes, yes… a million times yes!” 

Ezio stood up and she jumped into his arms, pressing her lips to his. “I love you so much.” She whispered, pressing her mouth to his ear.

He held her tight, smiling as he savored those words coming from her. Those three little words filled him with more joy than he had felt in years. 

“I love you too.” He replied. 

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's eight years late... but these two need more fics.
> 
> Well, I hope you liked the story. Please leave a comment about your thoughts on it, as well as any suggestion to improve future writings.


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